Railway motor truck structure



Agg. 8, 1933. w. H. MEYER RAILWAY MOTOR TRUCK STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 8, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug 8, 1933- W. H. MEYER ,920,997

RAILWAY MOTOR TRUCK STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 8, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR //M/f/ ///}7e er BY@ @M AZT ORNE Y Aug. s, 1933. W, H, MEYER 1,920,997

RAILWAY MOTOR TRUCK STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 8, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet. 5

Tf @T Pamesa-ag. a' 1933- General Steel' Castings (kirperation,` Granite. City, Ill.,- aCerporation of Delaware Application neither s, 1931. serial No;

' 12 claims;

The invention relates to means for supporting the motor `trames or housings of motor car-trucks, and particularly to the type wherein the framel or housing of an' electric motor is swivelledr at one end or side on the wheel axle to which the' motor is gear connected, and is supported Vat the opposite end or side `by means provided on a transverse member of the truck frame.

One objectl of the invention is to` provide a simple, compact, and inexpensive means-'for securely and yieldingly supporting the motor housing on the transverse member of the truck frame, which means is both readily. accessible and ad* justable to different .positions to, respectively provide limited and `unobstructed yvertical movement of the motor-housing in opposite directions relative to its normal vpositon, .thelatter movement being for the 'purpose of making .adjustments or repairs to said motor without necessitating. the disassembly of other vparts of the truck," A 1 Another object of the invention is to vprovide a strong compact truck transom and to provide adjustable and detachable motor sup.- porting brackets requiring little machining for `use with such transom.v l

The invention consists in all the novel features hereinafter disclosed and illustrated by the va.- rious forms shown in the accompanying drawings in Which.- j

rFigure l is a partial. top view of a motor truck :showing the invention applied thereto.

'.'FigurefZ is 'a partial side -view of the truc beingsectioned in partior clearer illustration..

1 `Figure 3 is atransverse vertical section on the line-B-fSof Figure l. f

Figure ais a detail vertical vsection on the line 4-4fof Figurel. s p x Figure 5 is `a section similar. to that shown in `Figure 3 but illustrates a modied form of invention.

While applicable to other typesof power driven trucks, the present .invention is shown applied to a truck lof familiar form in whichy vthe truck .frame `has limited vertical movement relative to 'the axle and .the ymotor carried ythereby to reducezshocks caused byrail and road bed variations. f

A truck frame 1 includespedestal jaws 2v for receiving axle journal boxesQnot' shown, and in- .cludes an integral vtransverse transom 3 reinyforced by a gusset member Ll. Frame 1 isi also vprovided with spring bearing caps' 5. Spring seats 6 have i'langed portions 7 which `are bolted `to` the lequalizer bars 8 ,by means 'of bolts' 9.

Springs 1l) yieldingly support the frames Transoms 3 have slots 13 in which swinging hangers .14 are suspended by pivots 1 5 and support cross bars 17. Truck bolster 18, lbolster springs 19 and spring plank 20 are supported by `cross bars 60 17 thereby permitting swinging movement of .the bolster in the frame. An electric motor is mounted on and geared to rone of the wheel axles 2'1and, yif desired, each axle may be provided vwith a motor. All of the above is well known structure. l l i `The motor housing 22 is interposed between the wheel axle and the adjacent side wall 2,3 of the truck transom and at one end or side is swivelled on said axle and removably secured thereon by an axle cap 24. At its opposite side or end, the

'motor ramelias a single transversely projecting lug member 25, and transversely spaced outwardly extending web like safety stops 26 located lclose to and above the levelof the endsoi lug 25;

A transversely extending motor supporting unit is disposed below the lug 25 :and carried .by brackets 31 mounted on the outer face of the adjacentjside wall'23 of the transom.

The supporting unit comprises upper and lower .80 spring bars 28 and interposed helical springs 29, and bolts 3 0 for connecting bars-28 .and holding springs 29 in position.

` The brackets 31 are so arranged that when in yoperative positions they engage the ends of `35 spring ,bars 28. These brackets are preferably formed Aof castings and each has an upwardly projecting web 32 andV upper and lower hori- Zontal flangesf substantially braced by ribs 34.

Transom 3 is provided at the top with a lateral 90 'ange 435, having a downwardly extending bead 36,' being an integralcontinuation of the gusset member 4 between the transom 3 and frame 1.. The transom is provided at the bottom witha horizontal ange 37 reinforced by rib 38. Brack-` 9 5 ets 31, when in operative position on the transom, are supported at the bottom `by flange 3'7 and held in position at the top by Iiange 35y and bead 36.

Bolts 39. prevent lateraldisplaoement of the l 0 brackets ,when in operative positions. .0 In .the operative positions of brackets 31, the

suspension unit is disposed between motor housing 22 and said brackets, being detachably secured tothe under side of lug 25 by bolts 40 disposed above, but spaced a slight extent from,

the flanges 33. ,y

` removal of other parts ofthe truck frame.

spring bars 28 are spaced apart a distance slight- By securing the suspension unit to the lug and having the ends of the unit supported by brackets 3l, only one lug on the motor housing is required instead of more than one which has been customary, thereby providing a very simple construction of motor housing.`

By removing bolts 39, brackets 3l can be laterally adjusted along the transom side wall 23 to clear the ends of the suspension unit, and the motor housing 22 can then be either raised or lowered from itsv normal position, pivoting about axle '21, thereby aiTording ready access thereto for minor adjustments or repairs and, with the further removal of axle cap 24may be entirely removed from the truck frame fork major adjustments or repairs without necessitating the The ly less than the distance between Ithe flanges 33 of the brackets 31 so that the brackets can befreadily moved into operative position- The spacing of bars 28 can be adjusted by means of nuts 4l` on bolts 40.

As the truck frame passes over irregularities in the track, the wheel axles rock slightly in a transverse vertical plane. To facilitate this rocking ofthe wheel axles without a' corresponding strain in the motor supporting means, variation ofpressure in opposing vertical directions between bars. 28 and flanges 33 is permitted by' light bracket may be used. 'Ihe structure also provides means v for supporting the brackets whether in operative or inoperative position,

ythereby lessening the likelihood of their being removed and misplaced when thermotor is being repaired. I

In the modification shown in Figure 5, lthe mo- 'tor spring vsuspension unit is carried by the motor lug 45`by-mean's of` a single bolt 46 instead `of the two bolts 40 shown in Fig. 3. The head of the bolt ts in a spherical bearing 47 so as to permit lrocking movement of the motor in a plane vextending transversely of the'truck due to tilting of the motor supporting axle Vas a result of track irregularities. Hence, lthere is substantially no 'resistance to the rocking movement of the motor by the springs 48 ofthe motor suspension unit. In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the motor lug has a bearing substantially the full length of the spring suspension unit andfany tilting of theV movtor in a transverse verticalplane will be resisted by the springs 29 ofthe spring suspensiondevice.

This is a disadvantage for motor trucks which ,are` used in high speed service as the action 'of the springs isstoo slow for the Ytilting action of the axles of the truck. `A spring 49 at the lower end of the bolt 46 holds the suspension device against the motor lug'45, while atthe'same vtime permitting alittle play between the nut 50 and `the bottom bar 51 to accommodate rocking movement ofthe motor. Elongated slots J and K are provided in the bars 51"'and y52 "to permit laterall movement rof the motor relative tothe spring suspension device and the ytruck frame. Pin 46 carries the upward torque of the motor.

- It' is apparent from thepreceding description and accompanying illustrations -that theinvention embodies a simple form of springsuspension device cooperatingwith a single lug on the motor frame, and a pair of laterally adjustable brackets and a novel transom structure for mounting the same, combining to give a simple, compact, durable, accessible and inexpensive means for yieldingly supporting the motor frame on the truck frame.

While the use of a yielding suspension means is more desirable, I do not wish to be limited to the particular form shown and described asrigid suspension means of suitable construction may be employed to support the motor housing on the transom member. f

Obviously, various features and details of the motor truck which are not essential to my invention as well as modifications in other details herein disclosed may be changed without departure from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a motor truck, a wheel axle, a truck frame having' a transverse transom having an upright webY and flanges projecting towards said axle, a motor frame mounted at one end on said axle andhaving a projection on its opposite end, a

Ybracket movably mounted on said transom flanges and projecting beyond the same towards J said axle, a yielding suspension unit detachably secured to said motor frame projection and cooperating with said bracket to support the motor frame and to permit limited vertical movement of said motor frame relativeV to said transom.

2. Ina motor truck, a wheel axle, a truck frame having a side member and an integral transverse transom and a reinforcing gusset merging with said member and transom, a motor frame mounted at one end on said axle and having a lug projecting from its opposite end, a bracket mounted on and slidable along said transomY and gusset member, a yielding suspension unit, and means for detachablysecuring said unit to said lug, said unit and vbracket cooperating in one position of said bracket to yieldingly support the motor frame and to permit limited vertical movement thereof relative `to the transom and said bracket when slidioutwardly onsaid gusset permitting unobstructed vertical movement 4of said motor frame either/upwardly or downwardly from its normal position to give access thereto for adjustment or repairs.A l g i v 3. In a motor truck, a wheel axle,v a truck side frame, a transom provided on its outer side with an outwardly extending ilange at the .bottom and an outwardly extending ange at-the top, the under face of said top flange being recessed, a motor frame mounted at one end on -saidaxle and having a lug projecting from its opposite end,

vertical movement thereof relative to the transom, said bracket' being slidable along the transom to permit the unobstructed vertical movement `of said unit and adjacent end of said `motor frame either upwardly or downwardly from its normal positionto give access thereto for adjustment or repair.

4. In a motortruck, a transverse transom comprising spaced side walls and having pro- .jecting flanges extending along the upper and isv lower portions'of one side wall, a motor supporting bracket movably disposed between said ilanges and having the top andbottom thereof, adapted to be received between and interlocked with said transom flanges and means for detachably securing said bracket in position on said transom;v

5. Iny a motor truck, a truck frame, a wheel axle, a motor frame mounted at one end on said axle and having a single projecting lug on its opposite end, a yielding motor suspension unit,

l a bracket on said truck frame having vertically spaced portions rfor engaging upper and lower` surfaces of said unit andmeans for detachably securing the suspension unit to said projecting lug independently of said bracket. l

6. In a motor truck, a transverse transom hav- `ing upper and'lower flange elements along one` elements being adapted to engage the grooved portion of one of said flanges to retain thebracket, and means for securing said bracket in desired position along said transom.

7. In a motor truck, a truck frame including a transverse transom having flange-portions ex# tending along the upper and lower portions, at least one yof saidr flanges being grooved on its inner side, a supporting bracket interposed between said flanges and slidably mounted on the transom and having elements engagingwith said ilanges and also having outwardly projecting supporting lugs, a motor inovably mounted' at one end on the wheel axle, a yieldingsuspension unit detachably secured to said motor housing and cooperatingwith said supporting lugs on said bracket to yieldingly support the motor housing and limit the vertical movement thereof relative to the transom. y v

.8. Ina motor truck, a wheel axle, a truck frame having a transverse transom, a motor' frame mounted at one end on said axle and having a projecting member at its opposite end,

v a yielding suspension unit mounted on said member'and l*secured to the latter by means of a pin supported by said member and passing through said unit, and a supporting bracket adjustably mounted on said transom and cooperating withy said' unit to support said motor frame.

9. In a motor truck, a wheel axle, a truck frame having a transverse transom, a v motor v frame `mounted at one end on said. axle and having a mentioned element and said unit, said first mentioned element being adapted to `carry the upward torque ofv said motor when said spring is compressed and when said second mentioned element engages the underside of saidunit, and a supporting bracket adjustably mounted on said transom and cooperating with said unit to support said motor frame.

l0. In a motor truck, a'wheel axle, a truck frame having a transverse transom, a motor frame mountedv at one end on said axle and having a projecting member atits opposite end, a yielding suspension unit, said projecting inem- `ber having a concave spherical recess, an element supported by said member and having a convex `spherical surface at its upper portion, said ele- `mentengaging said unit and adapted to carry the upward torque of the motor, and a supporting bracket adjustably mounted on said transom and cooperating with said unit to support said motor frame.

11.- In a motor truck, a ywheel axle, a truck frame having a side member and an integral transverse transom -fand a reinforcing gusset merging with said member and transom, said gusset having an extension forming an outwardly wardly on said flange to provide for unobstructed vertical movement of said motor frame either upwardly or downwardly from its normal position to give access thereto for` adjustment or repairs.

12. In a motor truck, a wheel axle, a truck frame havinga transverse transom, a pair of movable brackets on said transom, a motor frame mounted at one end on said axle and having a projecting brackety at its opposite end, a

yielding motor suspension unit comprising a pair of vertically spaced horizontal bars and springs therebetween, an element for detachably securing said unit to said projecting bracket from 

